Luke 10: 30-34, “And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise, a Levite, when he was at that place, came and looked on him, and passed on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was and when he saw him, he had compassion on him. And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.”
The priest had sympathy (recognizing or feeling for someone else’s suffering, often from an emotional distance), but concerns about spiritual purity and ceremonial cleanliness may have kept him from helping the injured man. A priest was not to touch a dead body. This contact would render him ceremonially unclean. The Levite did look upon the wounded man but did not help. He had empathy ( the ability to understand and share the feelings of another), but did not help. The Levites assisted the priests and taught the Law. He, too, had to be ceremonially clean. This seems to be a neglect of the application of the very laws they taught. Their actions focused more on ritual observance than mercy and justice. Perhaps they were traveling to another city for a service and did not have time. Whatever the reason, they did not help. Now a Samaritan came by and had compassion (sympathetic consciousness of others’ distress together with a desire to alleviate it) on him. Sympathy and empathy are good qualities, but compassion has the driving force.
“But when he saw the multitude, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.” Matthew 9:36.
The Samaritans were a mixed population and were despised by the Jews. The Jews had no dealings with the Samaritans. This wounded man was probably a Jew. But the compassion of this Samaritan was not an idle compassion. He saw a soul in need. He reached out his hand to this needy soul.
This parable typifies our Lord. He came and saw our dying souls and extended His life for our salvation. He extended His hands upon the cross. There is a nail-scarred hand extended to you today.